Whitehead, Naydenov Sign With U of L Men's Basketball
July 19, 2000 | Men's Basketball
November 11, 1999
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Luke Whitehead, a 6-6, 215-pound forward from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. and Simeon Naydenov, a 6-7, 195-pound forward from Bulgaria, have each signed a national letter-of-intent to continue their basketball playing careers at the University of Louisville.
"Both are very versatile players that can play more than one position," said U of L Basketball Coach Denny Crum. "They both are good athletes that give us a lot of flexibility on the court."
Whitehead averaged 24 points, 9.3 rebounds, five assists and four steals as a senior last season for St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco before transferring to Oak Hill Academy. St. Ignatius posted a 30-3 record last year and was ranked eighth nationally by USA Today.
"Luke is very skilled and is fundamentally sound," said Crum. "He does everything well and knows how to play the game. He should be able to make a fairly easy transition to the collegiate level because of his skill levels."
Whitehead was the most valuable player of the Five-Star Camp (Pitt 4) over the summer. He has received notable acclaim from national recruiting services. He was ranked 29th among the nation's top seniors by FastBreak, 25th by Cage Scoop, 31st by the Hoop Scoop, 32nd by Recruiting Beat and 46th by The Sporting News. He can bench press 280 pounds.
Whitehead's father Eddie played for the Cardinals from 1963-66 under Coach Bernard "Peck" Hickman. Whitehead averaged 8.9 points and 7.6 rebounds as a 6-4 forward as the Cardinals produced a 16-10 mark his senior year.
A three-year starter at St. Ignatius, Whitehead averaged 18.2 points and 8.2 rebounds as a sophomore as St. Ignatius finished with a 26-4 record. He averaged 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds as a freshman for his 20-6 St. Ignatius team. He was a first-team all-section and all-league selection the past two seasons.
"Luke is very versatile, has great size and can score," said Oak Hill Coach Steve Smith. "He's a very good shooter and passer and is an excellent rebounder. He's got the whole package in that he's really talented, a smart player and is a very good student and person."
Oak Hill finished last season as the nation's top-ranked high school team with a 31-0 record and should be among the top teams this year. Five seniors on the Oak Hill squad are expected to sign with NCAA Division I schools. Oak Hill will participate in the Ballard Classic in Louisville on Feb. 18-19.
Whitehead chose Louisville over New Mexico.
Naydenov was one of the top 20 players at the Nike European camp in Barcellona, Spain last summer. He was a member of the Bulgaria Under 19 team for two years. Before signing with the Cardinals, he had been contacted by Georgia, New Mexico, St. John's and Vanderbilt.
"Simeon is an excellent athlete that has great three-point range," said Crum. "He runs the floor well, can handle the ball well and can take it to the hole."
Naydenov moved to Miami, Fla. this fall and will play for the Bershire School there. Three of his teammates committed to Division I schools this year. Bershire will play in the King of the Bluegrass tournament in Louisville on Dec. 17-21.
"Simeon is one of those rare European kids that have unlimited athletic ability," said Berkshire Coach Rolando Delaberra. "He breaks the mold of the stereotypical foreign player that is just a good shooter and passer. He's a very exciting player that is a tremendous leaper, gets up and down the court well and can score. He has extensive international playing experience."
Whitehead and Naydenov are the initial signees for the Cardinals this year.
(pronounced SI-mon NAY-de-nov)
